On August 21, Sharma had identified himself as taxi driver Santosh Kumar Gaikwad and told the cops that three passengers had planted bombs at Siddhivinayak temple, Girgaum Chowpatty and Azad Maidan. Acting on this information, officials from the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, the Anti Terrorism Squad and the Crime Branch conducted a checking but found nothing. The police registered an FIR against the caller.

The matter was handed over to Deepak Phatangre, senior inspector, Unit-8, who got a tip off that Sharma was meeting someone in Vile Parle (east) yesterday around 6.30 am. The police laid a trap and caught Sharma near RK restaurant. Sharma confessed that he is a rickshaw driver from Jurai Yadav Chawl, Jai Hind Nagar, Khar (east). The police seized three SIM cards from him, which he used earlier in similar types of crimes.

“He made the call just for fun,” a police officer said, on condition of anonymity. “The court has remanded Sharma to police custody till August 29. The motive behind the call is unknown,” said Phatangre.